


Bone Dead

by Vanemis



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Carl Grimes Lives, Fix-It, season 8 ep12
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-17 10:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14186541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanemis/pseuds/Vanemis
Summary: Sometimes alliances are better than nothing. Rick and Negan clash more often than not, but this time the outcome is a little different.





	Bone Dead

The walls are crowding closer. In the darkness, Negan can’t tell if the next thing he'll place his hand on will bite. The walkers in the basement moan and grind their teeth, stumbling into each other to get their lunch, and if Negan wasn’t so busy trying to find his bat and the exit, he would have enjoyed the challenge.It’s been too long since he was out here, getting down and dirty with the monsters. He thinks he sees a glint of metal. Maybe it’s the door, or a weapon. But the silver glow starts to groan and shuffle desperately and soon Negan realises it was a watch hanging loosely around a skeletal wrist. 

He grabs for the walker's shoulder, shoving it to the ground where he crushes its decomposing skull under his boot. The crunch is chilling, like fragile glass. It's not the same when he lets Lucille have her fun. 

He steps away from the puddle, taking a moment to scrape the gunk on the corpse' clothes before continuing his hunt for his darling. She’s got to be somewhere nearby. She can’t have rolled that far.

 

“Now, why would I trust any deal offered to me after what you did to Jadis' people?” Rick yells from some other part of the basement. His words cause Negan to pause. Jadis? What the fuck does that lying bitch got to do with anything? The way she tricked everybody, Negan wonders why Rick even cares one bit about her. Leave it to Rick Grimes to get emotionally attached to a two-faced gutter rat. 

“The hell are you talking about?” 

“The scavengers,” Rick replies with a spitefulness that reminds Negan how much he failed to break the man. There’s a tone in his voice, like he thinks Negan is the dumbest motherfucker to cross his path. Course he knows who the damn trash people are. “You killed them. All of them. A whole community Just wiped out.”

 

Oh shit. The pieces fall into place, and Negan  _does_  start to feel like the world’s dumbest motherfucker. How could he have trusted the way Simon just flashed him a grin and said it was all okay, when he was just covering up his betrayal? Fuck, he saw the way the bastard was ready to fight him on every decision, acting like Negan was the fool. He really fucking was a fool. 

Rick is silent. He’s expecting that boastful gloat any second, informing him that Jadis deserved her punishment.  _It’s the only way_ _you people_ _learn_ , Negan's voice drawls in his head. But Negan doesn’t grace him with an answer. He hasn’t heard yells or anything to suggest a walker might have ended his nemesis, so the silence is eerily strange. 

“You knew, right?” Rick dares to ask, the question burning in his mind. He knows Negan did it. No one else but him had a problem with the scavengers. Nobody else would have happily slaughtered twenty plus people.

Under his breath, Negan curses his second-in-charge. He should have done something. Made sure it was somebody else who went to the landfill, maybe Arat or just any other fuckwad who didn’t scream  _traitor_. 

“No.” 

“You’re not gonna own up to it? I figured you would be proud, reducing a community to nothing just to prove you’re the big man.” 

“Look, Rick, I’m here to save people. Not fucking destroy them.”

“So what? The Saviors weren’t behind it?” 

“I never said that,” and _fuck,_ does it shatter his pride to admit that. But if Rick wants to put the blame on Negan's shoulders, he sure as hell isn’t going to take it. His mind nags a contradiction, that as the leader he  _is_  to blame for not tightening the leash on his crew.

On the other side of the basement, Rick stops in his tracks. His hand curls around Lucille's handle. He can’t have heard that correctly. 

“You saying someone else did it?” 

“I wanted to send them a warning. Kill just one person, not fucking all of them. If one dies, they all fall in line. We were going to go back to our original deal. I never wanted all of them dead. Crappy allies they may be, but they’re still allies. Hell, think what you like. I don’t give a shit. You’re not walking out of this place breathing.”

“Now I get why none of your guys are coming for you. They’re dumping your ass out on the curb. Finally done with your shit. Hell, maybe once I'm done with you they’ll just call it a day and leave us alone. If not, I’ll be sure to give them the same treatment they gave Jadis.”

“Fuck that. I don’t plan on letting some jumped-up shithead high on power take my place. I earned it! You think it will get better if I die? The Saviors want you dead, Rick. You and all your friends. I’m the only guy in the world that can call this shit off.”

Another walker stumbles into Negan, startling him out of his angered monologue before he manages to knock it down and keep searching. So far, he’s found a metal pipe but he wants Lucille. When the fuck could she have gone? This basement feels endless. Maybe he’s been going in circles this whole time, not that he can see.

The only shred of light came from that hole he fell through, and it’s nowhere near so he must have made some progress. 

“Maybe, maybe not. But what you have was never going to last. Someone like me was always gonna come along, fuck your shit up, teach you this ain't the right way. You don't save people, you use them. For food, sex, protection. You only care about your bat and you can’t even save that. Tell you what, I’ll let you kiss her goodbye.”

 

“Don’t you fucking touch her!” 

 

Before Negan can swear up a storm and threaten to kill Rick in a million different ways, the wall he’d thought was just more bricks in the dark starts to break under the slamming force of Lucille.

He has enough warning to dodge the swinging bat when Rick finally breaks through. And holy shit is he a sight to behold. Even in the gloominess, Negan can see the fire in the man's eyes. Rick's glared plenty of times before but this is something else. Now it’s just the two of them, with no backup and one weapon. It’s very much a fight to the death, and fuck has Negan been looking forward to this. 

Lucille ends up smashing the jaw of some walker. Rick isn’t used to using bats. Last he swung one properly was during Negan's little roadtrip months ago. But it feels  _good_. The strength behind his swing wrecks the undead man, scratching the skin apart with jagged cuts. In fact, the sheer power that erupts in his nerves distracts him long enough for Negan to tackle him.

The man's weight crushes the air out of his lungs, but Rick has the sense to keep a firm grip on the bat. He reaches up, slamming the handle and part of his fist into Negan's ribs. The sharp, pained gasp sounds too close to his ear, startling and deafening, but Negan doesn’t crumple under the assault. He crawls up to his knees, digging one into the soft flesh Rick's abdomen. His hand wraps around the long expanse of the other's throat, squeezing tight until Rick is forced to let go of Lucille and yank at Negan's hand. 

The colour drains from Rick as his oxygen dwindles. The pressure is too much. He can’t even force a cough out, just make tiny gasps to desperately fill his lungs. His heart hammers wildly and a headache blossoms at the temples.A crazed grin splits across Negan's grimy face. And then it falters when he sees the panic renew in Rick's eyes. They’re not focused on Negan but on something behind him. Fuck, he’d forgotten about the walkers.

He twists away from Rick, allowing the other to crawl out from underneath him. But trying to stop Rick would mean letting that walker turn him into a snack, so he begrudgingly lets Rick go for the time being. 

His sweating palm holds the biter's head back but he keeps readjusting his grip as the skin slides across the bone wetly. The gnashing teeth clack noisily without pause and its single arm flays to grope at Negan’s chest. The leather is too thick for its blunt nails to scratch though. His other hand searches the floor for Lucille but Rick snatches it up before his fingers close tightly around the handle. The smirk he receives sends shivers down his spine.The walker pushes him down onto the dusty floorboards, urged forward by the small swarm that have escaped the maze-like basement and followed the ruckus. 

His fingers are slipping, digging into mushy flesh that swallows them up. It’s sickening. The sound of squelching and the groans that almost make him think that the walker can  _feel_  it, will surely haunt him for a good while. But he can’t stop now. His fingers hit bone and finally he has a proper hold on the biter's head. 

Behind him, Rick makes a stance with his legs spread shoulder-width and his arms are drawing back. Fuck, this is how he dies. Brains bashed in and ripped apart while he’s still warm. Shit, he could have avoided this. He could have done so many different things that would have meant more. But no, this is the route he took.  _Make it fucking quick_ , Negan dares to plead in his mind. He doesn’t want this to last.  _Hit me with everything you’ve got, Rick._

The bat connects with bone, shattering the brittle structure under the strength of Rick's swing. Blood splashes across Negan's face, dripping onto his jacket and bloodying his shirt even more. The smell, though. He thought he’d gotten used to the smell of blood but the acrid scent burns through his nose and leaves him gagging. 

Something feels wrong. There’s pain in his hand. He can feel the warm flow of blood between his fingertips but that’s all he can register. He dares to open his eyes, not having realised he'd closed them in what he thought was his final moment. 

Rick is still there, holding onto Lucille with a painful grip that turns his fingers white. There’s blood on her, flesh and hair caught in the hooks of the wire. His eyes are alight with a hunger Negan's never seen before this day. Goddamn is it beautiful to look at.

His darling bat arches through the air again, striking the next beastie in line. And then the next, and the next, until each walker is lying in a pile of stinking brains and guts. Negan's gonna need ten fucking showers after this. He’s grateful and all but these bodies are top of him, crushing the air from his lungs under their combined weight. It’s like a fucking car parked on his chest. 

Using his arms, he manages to crawl back a few inches but even on his elbows he can’t move his legs or hips to shimmy out.

 

“Gimme your arms,” Rick instructs like he’s the paramedic on the scene of a crash. Reluctantly, Negan drops into his back and holds out his arms. 

 

For a moment, he feels ridiculous. He’s trapped under a pile of rotting corpses, twisting like a turtle stuck on its back and waving his arms about like a hopeless child. He wouldn’t be surprised if Rick just started laughing and watched him struggle before knocking his lights out permanently.

Instead, Rick grabs his wrists and pulls. It fucking hurts. The bones feel like they’ll crack and yank out of their joints and they even creak threateningly. His legs start to appear from the mess and he plants a foot down to brace himself into a sitting position. Rick drops his wrists, letting Negan take control.

Surprisingly, Rick hovers close until Negan has freed his legs entirely. And he doesn’t raise Lucille. Instead he leans forward on it as though Negan isn’t thinking of kicking it out from underneath him and sending sprawling. 

 

“Thanks,” he grumbles. 

 

“You were serious, weren’t you? About the scavengers.”

 

“Again with this shit? You just enjoy rubbing it in my face. I told you I never wanted them dead. Fuck, I know you’re thick sometimes but God All-fucking-mighty I didn’t send that order.” 

 

Negan has never had much patience. Even before the end of the world, he'd get riled up when things weren’t being understood quick enough. He glares coolly at Rick and finds the same look on the man's grimacing face. 

 

“You know who it is?”

 

“Yeah, and I’ll shut them down before it gets out of hand-“

 

“It’s already out of hand, Negan. They killed everybody but Jadis.”

 

Negan falls silent, rubbing his clean hand across his mouth and stubbled jaw. He hates that Rick is right, loathes that he let Simon get the upper hand and when he gets back to Sanctuary, he’s gonna shove Lucille so far up his traitorous ass that-

“It’s times like this you realise who your true friends really are.”

 

“That is some mighty pretentious shit there, Rick.” After a pause, Negan shakes his head in defeat and breathes out a hoarse laugh. “You’re right, but I’ve got to make an example out of him. He’s gonna pay. I can’t let that shit slide.”

 

“Who says you’re gonna make it out of here alive to do so?” Rick splays his fingers along Lucille, watching with a cruel glint as Negan throws a glare that doesn't chill his bones at all. He’s not getting her back just yet, but he will.

 

Slowly, he gathers himself into a standing position. His body fucking hurts like a sonofabitch and his hand stings from Lucille's strike. He knows now Rick hadn’t been too careful with his aim. His hand isn't chopped up, cause that walker blood in his system would certainly put a damper on his mood- and the irony of that isn't lost on him- but the wood struck it hard. Rick must be so proud, having reduced the great badass Negan to a slumping, aching, walking-proof of a lovely day gone tits up.

 

“You know, if you call this whole thing off, I’ll hand you that new deal. 25 percent of what you own and I won’t even kill one of your people. Not even Maggie's or Ezekiel's lot. Hell, I’ll even send you a personalised  _thank you_ card for putting an end to this shitstorm. What do you say?”

 

“Why are you still doing this, Negan? We won. It’s over for you and the Saviors. Whatever you have in store for us won’t beat us.”

 

“Because, asshole, I do care. I fucking care a  _lot_. Till you pissed on my turf, I had a good thing going-“

 

“For you, maybe. Nobody else. You reduce people to nothing, make them your bitch cause- what? Cause you got bigger guns? Maybe at the start, you meant good but not anymore. It’s why I’ve got to take you down.”

 

“And what do you think will happen if you do? Cause to me, seems like you haven't really thought that through. Pretend for one tiny second that somehow, by some fucking lucky-ass miracle, you do take the Saviors down, what happens after?”Rick scoffs, has the audacity to laugh at the question. “Well? Fine, if you won’t give me an answer, allow me to divine your future. You’re all gonna celebrate a while, get the drinks flowing, have a little midnight romp with your samurai. Then when things get quiet, you’re gonna struggle. You won’t be able to readjust and you’ll start picking fights, looking for conflict, wave your dick around for the world to see. You’ll go beyond to find enemies, conquer them and make them your bitches.  End of the day; if someone doesn’t put a leash on Rick Grimes, he’ll piss on the entire the neighbourhood.”

 

“I’ve heard a lot of bullshit in my life, but holy crap does that take the prize. I’m not you, Negan. Alexandria isn’t my first community. There were others and the only reason I’m not there right now is because some prick thought he owned us. We didn’t have what we have now: allies, weapons. So we ran.”

 

Rick strides up to the other, cornering him with the end of Lucille against a bloody shoulder. There’s no end to his ballsy attitude. Fuck, how did Negan ever think he could break this man? 

Holding up a hand, Negan pushes at the bat until Rick drops it at his side again. He could try for it but the hatchet at Rick's belt is too far away to grab and Rick would see something like this a mile away. He’s probably waiting for Negan to do so, delighted to have a chance to chop a hand in the attempt.

 

“But I’m sick of running from people like you. So if you think you can sweet-talk me into one of your shitty deals, go fuck yourself!”

The sudden change in stance is the only warning Negan gets before Rick goes into frenzied lunatic-mode. Lucille is swung again, catching on Negan's arm as he blocks it. Holy Hell does it hurt. He could have a shattered bone by now but the adrenaline's kicked all feeling and thought from him. 

 

Rick isn’t the best at melee, clumsily swinging, but each hit has strength, a force meant to kill if he hits correctly. In the small hallway, it’s difficult but if he drops the weapon now Negan could snatch it up and make it a fair fight. Rick doesn’t want this to be fair. He wants Negan to know just what it feels like to have all options taken and be faced with the consequences of his actions. He wants to stand over his body and gloat of his success. But first, he has to win.

Negan bolts straight back into those dark rooms, hoping that the shadows will hide him long enough for Rick to pass by, or maybe give him an opening to the stairs. He hasn’t seen any yet but obviously they exist.

 

“Are we really going to do this again? You’re gonna hide rather than face me like a man? Shit, never took you for a coward.” Rick's taunts bounce off the walls and Negan grits his teeth to stop a witty remark escaping. He needs to be quiet or Rick will find him.“Tell you what, you come out here and face me and I’ll make it quick.”

 

Footsteps stamp close, not even bothering to silence the noise. He’s taunting Negan and the Savior is almost proud. Rick's showing a fun side today, sadly it’s aimed at him.

The noise stops. Rick is right there, hidden in the dark. If he turned to the pile of boxes stacked in the corner, he'd see Negan crouching there. A sharp whistle chills his blood. It’s the same rhythm he used when he hunted the Alexandrians in the forest nearly a year ago. That motherfucker has hella nerves.

Once Rick starts moving again, Negan heads back to the other corridor. There’s a door on the other side, tucked away in the shadows. It could lead to the stairs. The door doesn’t creak despite the rusted hinges and Negan slips out unnoticed, or so he thinks.

The next room is dark too but the windows are blacked out with dirt and paint. If he’s quick enough he can smash the glass and run outside. Just peering through a tiny, cleaner spot he notes he’s facing the opposite side of the building. And the drop to the ground is nothing drastic. 

Lucille. Shit, he can’t go back for her right now. He hates to admit it, but he can’t keeping fighting for long. His body protests with each step and the hits he’s been dealt ache deeply.  _I’ll see you soon, darling_ , he thinks before throwing himself at the window. Only a pair of hands grab at his jacket and yank him backwards. He topples with the momentum, grunting. 

 

“Yeah, hope you didn’t think you'd actually get away. It’s over, Negan. It ends  _now_.” Rick is on him in an instant, chucking Lucille aside so he can use the hatchet instead. It’s the same one Negan threatened to harm Carl with. For a second, Rick remembers his son's dream. To see everybody united together as one. Carl is waiting for him at Hilltop right now. What would he say if he saw this?

 _He’d stop us both_ , Rick realises shamefully. 

 

“Do me one favour, Rick. Just one, cause I’d do the same for you. Don’t let me turn.” Negan hates how weak he sounds, breathless and tired- no- exhausted. He's exhausted of fighting, of arguing with Rick over every little thing. Shit, the Saviors aren’t coming for him. Rick was right: he’s dying alone.

 

A strange, almost compassionate look fleets across Rick's eyes when he hears the request. The humanity seems to return to him, bit by bit.  And then the hatchet is raised high, ready to strike. If Negan wasn’t so driven by pride, hardened by all the violence and bullshit he’d seen, he'd honest-to-God whimper at the sight. The metal glints in the barest light. 

 

“I won’t let you harm anyone else,” Rick states with a tone he intended to sound cruel but it comes out softer, almost like a promise. Deep down, he knows Negan truly wouldn’t submit Rick to reanimation. It’s almost comforting. Almost. 

 

“Thanks.” 

 

God, the exhaustion is just bleeding through his voice now. Neither men really recognise Negan at this point. He’s not even struggling to shove Rick away. It’s like all the energy was drained out of him. All the fight is gone too, leaving behind a tired man who’s seen too much shit. And isn’t that just fucking depressing as Hell? 

 

“Tell me, Rick, is there anything you regret?” 

 

Rick blinks owlishly, confused by the sudden question. Dying man's babble. Maybe Negan thinks he can draw out a few precious minutes if he talks his head off. Despite his better judgement, Rick is willing to humour him. 

 

“Course there is. There’s plenty I regret.”

 

“Like what?” 

 

“There was this place; Terminus. My group ended up seeing these signs, showing people the way to salvation.  _Those who arrive, survive_. That was their motto. Turns out they were cannibals. Kept us in train cars for weeks. The only reason we all survived is because of one of my people. What about you?”

 

“Tons. Not as shitty as cannibals. I guess, right now it’s letting everything go to my head. Believe it or not but the Saviors started out by helping people. Really helping them. But those people, they wanted too fucking much so I had to show them who was in charge. Carried that burden for years till I had my operation set up just the way I wanted. At the end of the day, I’ve been the reason for too many deaths and I regret not trying to find away around conflict.

“I tried that with you. I  _wanted_  that for the scavengers. Just go back our deals and forget the past. Shit, I still want that.”

 

Rick lowers the weapon, letting the confession sink into his brain. He hadn’t expected something like this. Not from someone who waves a barbed-wire bat in everyone's face and takes nearly all their supplies with a laugh and no remorse.

 

“Would you do anything different, if you could?” Rick dares to ask. 

 

Negan still hasn’t bothered to fight back. He’s lying beneath Rick, seemingly unbothered by the weight straddling his chest, one arm slung across his torso and the other is fiddling with a loose thread on his jeans. All in all, he doesn’t give the appearance of a man willing to fight for his life any more.

 

“Fuck yeah I would. Bet you’re the same. Tried to do better by some people, cut out others, lead a different path. Shit, I'd take it.”

 

Once again, Carl's letter flashes in his mind. It’s a raw wound, fresh and aching in his heart. His son wanted so much more, that even when he thought he would die from a near-fatal bullet his mind went straight to addressing the ones he loves. Rick knows his son wouldn’t stand for this, that he'd find a way to a better future. Carl was gifted with a generosity unmatched by anyone else. He'd pull Negan up to his feet, wait for him to dust off and propose a compromise. 

“Negan, I’ve got a proposition. If the Saviors surrender then we could work together again. But on our terms. All the communities allied together, equally. No threats or demands. I'd have to talk to the other leaders, see what they have to say.”

 

“Just what are you thinking, Ricky-boy?” 

 

That devilish grin returns, his words drawl warmly as that eager, cocky look fires up in his eyes. Rick has to remind himself he's doing this for the sake of everyone's lives, not to avoid executing a man that deserves death. But seeing life spark again in Negan, like he just gave a drink to a man dying of thirst, satisfies a part of Rick he’s ashamed lives in him. That power he holds over the man; deciding his fate and holding the choice above his head. It’s a godly feeling. 

 

“Complete surrender. You were right when you said you were the only the Saviors will listen to, so you’ll tell them  _we_  won. That your forces are to stand down and await our decision. That you were unable to break us and we were kind enough to let you live. All goes well, Sanctuary doesn’t steal from others and your people can join our alliance. That’s what I propose for your life. If you decide to keep breathing another day, you surrender.”

 

“Well, shit, never thought about that ending. Figured we'd blow each other to little, squishy pieces first.”

 

“You said you wanted to do this differently. I’m giving you that chance.”

 

“You sure have got a hard-on for ultimatums. This cause of Carl?”

 

“It is. And for every one else involved. So, you want to die here or do you surrender?”

 

Negan laughs. It’s a heartful noise that grips Rick by surprise. He’s never heard the other make such a warm, happy noise and he can almost pretend they’re old friends sharing an inside joke. 

 

“Well, cowboy, when you put it like that... Don’t suppose you’ve got a white flag I can wave? No? You’ll have to settle for this.” Still chuckling, Negan hooks a thumb in his t-shirt collar and pulls it up. He grimaced as the dried blood cracks. “It’s normally white. Under the circumstances, you’re gonna have to forgive me.” 

 

“So you agree to a full surrender?”

 

“Yes, I do. Now, I’ve enjoyed your tight little ass on me but you’re a heavy sonofabitch so I’d appreciate if you’d hop off my dick now that you don’t plan on burying your hatchet in my face.” 

 

Rick startles in embarrassment, scrambling up to his feet a bit faster. He glares when Negan laughs but the effect is lost on the man. Clearly dizzy from the pain, the Savior stumbles before regaining full balance. 

Without waiting, he prowls to Lucille and takes her away from the dusty ground. Her weight in his hand sends a comforting familiarity through him that eases his nerves. Sending a glance at Rick, he finds the other man isn’t ready to pounce and take away his baby again. Instead, he’s sheathing his own weapon with a strange look on his face. Maybe he’s already regretting his decision. Negan doesn’t plan on waiting to find out.

He smashes the window, clearing away the jagged shards so he can safely climb out. The sun is shining hot and bright so he can’t have been trapped for more than a couple of hours. Inhaling the fresh air he’d never thought he'd breathe again, he watches as Rick climbs outside as well.

 

“Guess we’re both heading to our respective homes,” Negan says. 

 

“You better keep your promise. I don’t want to hunt you down again, but I will if I think for one second you’re planning anything.”

 

“You’ve got my word, Grimes. Pinky swear.”

 

“Yeah, I better. We'll visit you when we’ve come to a decision. Good luck talking to your people.” Rick surprises them both with his genuine words, but it’s for the better. They need this to work, or more people will die and neither leader wants that. 

 

“You too, Rick. Hey, thanks. You know, for hearing me out and giving me a chance.” Negan clears his throat after the awkward admission, fixing his eyes on Lucille as he leans on her for support.

 

“Thank Carl, he’s the one who saw something good in you. You better prove him right.”

 

“I will.” 

 

Rick nods, concluding their strange encounter. He starts to walk away, and when he dares glance back a minute later he sees Negan limping around a corner, using his bat as a cane of sorts. A satisfied smirk crawls on Rick's face as he seeks out his vehicle and hopes it isn’t too damaged to drive back to Hilltop.

 

The chatter of nervous Saviors greets his ears and Negan has never been so pleased to hear Arat's demanding tone. He can’t make out what she's saying but she sounds pissed. So she should be. But at least they stuck around long enough.When he comes into view of the group, he gets mixed responses. Arat sprints to his side, taking an eyeful to check for injuries, but she seems him fine for now. She hovers close, ready to support him. He’s limping but that’s from the crash and walker pile-up he was forced to endure. 

Most of the group shuffles closer, each equally worried and relaxing at the sight of their leader alive and kicking. They don’t ask questions which he appreciates. Simon is there, watching with awe and fear in his eyes. It’s like he's watching a wildfire surround him. After a split second of hesitation, he joins the group. 

 

“You okay, boss?”

 

“I’ve had worse. Thanks for keeping them here. Took longer than I’d planned but at least you waited up.”

 

“Rick dead?” 

 

“Trust me, he’s the least of your concern.” Negan flashes him a toothy grin. He doesn’t miss the way Simon tenses and struggles to calm his face neutral. Turning towards the group, he says, “Alright everyone. We’ve got a new plan. We are all driving our asses home.”

 

“But the Hilltop?” Simon exclaims with hysteria. 

 

“They can wait. For now, we're done. Get those trucks back on the road and move out.”The group is quick to get back into action, readying themselves for his signal in record time. They seem crestfallen to have been denied their fun but there’s nothing Negan can do about that.

 

“Boss? You sure about this? Everyone’s ready to show Hilltop we mean business.”

 

“We’ve got plenty to talk about at home. Don’t worry, you’ll know everything I know. Now get in the goddamn truck, Simon.” 

 

Simon nods, tense as a piano wire, but he doesn’t let his anger bubble through this time. He slams the truck door a bit harder than necessary but he bites back any carefully chosen words. 

Negan ends up rolling with Arat and her calm silence lets him catch a few z's. Hell knows he’s gonna have a tough time explaining this shit to his crew, let alone the workers. He needs all the rest he can fucking get for when Rick and his gang finally show up to either tighten the noose or cut the rope. He’s more unsure about this rickety alliance than anything in the past but shit, if Carl thought this team up could work, he’s damn sure he’s gonna give it his all to respect that kid's decision.


End file.
